A few days ago I went in for a dental cleaning. I may not have the straightest teeth, but I feel lucky that I am blessed with good dental genetics- the dentist always raves about my deep roots ( he once told me "you know, we never get to see teeth like yours in real life, only in text books when we were in dental school"). Maybe because of this, I work hard to take care of my teeth, and make brushing and flossing a priority. In January when I gave up chewing sugarless gum, I was a little concerned that it would decrease my dental health. I have read that chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which is helpful because saliva minimizes bacteria in your mouth and also contains substances that help prevent tooth decay and gum disease. When I gave up sugarless gum, I was also worried about having bad breath. I drink coffee and eat lots of fragrant foods, so I decided to carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in my bag and brush whenever I felt like I had yuck mouth (on average I'm probably brushing twice a day more then I used to). Fast forward six months, and as the hygienist starts to clean my teeth, she says "have you changed your dental routine since your last cleaning? Your teeth have virtually no stain or tarter on them at all. They look really great.". What exciting news to find that in giving up sugarless gum, I also unintentionally improved my dental health! Looks like I can keep smilin' and keep saying no thanks to artificially sweetened gum.
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